Play It Again DW: How It Could Have Been
by Vitani825
Summary: D.W.'s at it again; annoying Arthur to the point of losing his temper. Will he ever catch a break?


**Disclaimer: I don't own Arthur characters.**

 **A/N: This is an alternate version of a classic 90's Arthur episode; so much more drama in this than the actual episode. I always wondered what it would have been like if the episode had gone like this.**

One morning, Arthur woke up to the peaceful sounds of birds singing in the tree next to his bedroom window.

"Ahhhhhhh; nothing like waking up and not having to put up with Crazy Bus before breakfast," Arthur told himself.

As soon as he opened his mouth, the music started playing, LOUD.

"Aw man! I spoke too soon," Arthur grumbled.

D.W. was carrying her CD player around while singing along to Crazy Bus.

"The only thing worse than Crazy Bus being played all day is having D.W. singing along to it all day," Arthur added.

Soon enough, the entire family were eating, or at least trying to eat while D.W. was listening to her music and singing.

"D.W.; may you please turn off _THAT_ song while we're trying to eat?" Arthur asked.

The four year old pulled her CD player towards herself and wrapped her arms around it.

"No! It's _MY_ music and _YOU_ can't tell _ME_ what to do," D.W. retorted.

Arthur face-palmed himself; he asked D.W. nicely to turn off the music during breakfast; and she refused.

"D.W.; Arthur asked nicely; we agree with him; your music is too loud; you may listen to it after breakfast," Jane told her.

Soon enough, D.W. turned off the music and continued to eat.

"Thanks, Mom," Arthur said.

"No problem, Arthur," Jane told him.

Once their breakfast was done, D.W. was listening to Crazy Bus in her room. However, it was loud enough to be heard from the livingroom. Arthur was trying to watch TV; he didn't want to have to turn up the TV so he could hear it properly. So, he was just not gonna start a fight.

A few hours have passed and D.W. was still playing Crazy Bus on her CD player. Arthur was walking upstairs to confront D.W. about it.

"D.W.; I have put up with _THAT_ song all morning without arguing with you; so, if you don't mind; may you please listen to your music with headphones?" Arthur pleaded.

"Hmmm; nope; I only do what Mom and Dad tells me; you're not the boss of me," D.W. sneered.

Arthur's expression was of anger and frustration; he stomped off and went to his parents about the problem. Jane was at her computer and David was watching TV.

"Mom, Dad; we need to talk," Arthur said.

The parents stopped what they were doing and turned to Arthur.

"What is it, Arthur?" Jane wondered.

"It's D.W.; she's driving me crazy with _THAT_ Crazy Bus song; it's been playing all morning and I was trying to ignore it; but, it's impossible with it being at a high volume," Arthur explained.

Jane and David nodded.

"It's been bothering us too; but, you have been very mature about it without trying to pick a fight with D.W.; we're proud of you," Jane told him.

"Don't worry, Arthur, we'll talk to her," David reassured him.

Arthur smiled.

"Thanks guys; I'm glad we've had this talk," Arthur commented.

"You're welcome; now your mom and I have to talk with D.W.," David replied.

Arthur nodded and sat on the couch; then, he found a show that he liked; Bionic Bunny.

Meanwhile, D.W. finally turned her music off; but, it was because Jane persuaded her to.

"There is a reason why your dad and I are here; your Crazy Bus song is driving everyone in this house crazy; we think a week without Crazy Bus is fair since you refused to quiet it down or use headphones; Arthur was very good about it and came to us when he couldn't solve the problem himself," Jane explained.

D.W. was shocked. No one had the right to take away her Crazy Bus CD and CD player; and I mean _NO ONE_.

"You can't take away my Crazy Bus; Arthur should be punished; he was referring to my Crazy Bus as _THAT_ music or _THAT_ song to my face twice today," D.W. pleaded.

David sighed.

"Arthur didn't do anything wrong; it was all you; if you don't stop mouthing off to us; we'll take it away for two weeks," David scolded.

D.W. sighed and decided to stop since one week without Crazy Bus was bad enough.

"Okay; bye-bye Crazy Bus; I'll miss you," D.W. said.

Jane picked up the CD player and placed it somewhere in her room. However, D.W. had one trick up her sleeve; before her parents showed up; she took the CD out and hid it under her pillow. Once David and Jane were out of ear shot, D.W. cackled and tented her fingers together.

"Now to find another CD player and play my music," D.W. told herself.

She went back downstairs and placed the CD in the CD player in the den. The music was just as loud as it was before. Arthur was trying to watch TV; however, he missed a lot of the show because of the music.

"D.W.!" Arthur yelled.

D.W. wasn't fazed by Arthur's yelling; instead, she was dancing and singing. After a moment, David and Jane rushed into the livingroom and Jane turned off the CD player and confiscated the disc.

"Dora Winifred Read! We told you no Crazy Bus for a week; and you disobeyed us; all this time, I thought the CD was in your own CD player, but you sneaked it out and hid it so you could play it downstairs; and for that, no Crazy Bus for two weeks," Jane scolded.

At that, D.W. started screaming and crying while jumping up and down. Jane wasn't fazed by this and went upstairs to place the CD in her room. D.W. had turned to her stomach and started pounding and kicking at the floor. Arthur watched; but, didn't laugh; instead, he just rolled his eyes. Then, he turned back around and continued to watch the rest of his show. David picked up D.W. and carried her to her room and put her in time out.

"You can come out when you learn to be more respectful; there are four other people in this house and you need to be more mindful of their feelings," David said through the closed door.

After that, he walked away and headed back downstairs.

"What are we gonna do with her? Kate's the baby; but, D.W. is acting like a baby," Arthur commented.

David couldn't agree more with Arthur's statement.

"Don't worry, Arthur; you won't have to listen to Crazy Bus for two weeks; D.W. may be sneaky; but, we always find out in the end," David reassured him.

Arthur smiled. He was jumping for joy in his head; if he did that for real, he'd probably get punished for it. However, he really hated that Crazy Bus song and was relieved to get a two week reprieve from it; but, two weeks will seem like nothing to him.

"D.W.'s punishment will be done before I know it and everything will be back to normal," Arthur stated.

"That may be true; but your mom and I will see if we could persuade her to listen to her music with headphones; because like she said; she'll only do what we tell her since we're the parents," David explained.

Arthur smiled.

The next day at school, Arthur had some great news. He is sitting with them at lunch.

"On Sunday, D.W. was playing her Crazy Bus song nonstop and on a loud volume; and Muffy and Francine; don't give me crap about D.W. being a little girl and that she doesn't know better; she knows how to push mine and both my mom and dad's buttons; even at only four years old," Arthur said.

"Don't talk to us that way Arthur; by the way, you shouldn't be so mean," Francine sneered.

"I was not being mean; like I said; D.W. played her Crazy Bus song nonstop and I asked her nicely to listen to it through headphones; but, she has blatant disregard for my feelings; even Mom and Dad were annoyed with it after three hours; Mom even took away her disc player without knowing D.W. taking the CD out and hiding it to play it in our cd player downstairs in the den; Mom eventually caught her; the punishment was originally for a week; but, due to D.W.'s stunt with listening to Crazy Bus while she was being punished earned her an extra week," Arthur explained.

The other boys nodded while Muffy and Francine crossed their arms and narrowed their eyes.

"What? If I had a little sister who played a song I hate; I would ask her to listen to it through headphones as well; you should know better Francine; I imagine you annoy the crap out of Catherine with your music; just like D.W. does to Arthur," Buster sneered.

"Come on Muffy; let's go eat somewhere else," Francine said.

As the two girls left, Arthur growled in frustration.

"Don't worry Arthur; who cares about what Francine and Muffy think? They can't tell you what to think; you're your own person," Buster told him.

Arthur smiled.

Once they all got back to class, Arthur sat on his usual seat; but, he unknowingly sat on an open chocolate pudding. He stood up and looked at his pants.

"Francine!" Arthur growled.

"Hahahahaha; that's payback for being mean to D.W. over the fact that you don't like Crazy Bus," Francine sneered.

Soon enough, Mr. Ratburn came in and saw the chocolate stain on the back of Arthur's pants.

"Ahem; which one of you placed an open chocolate pudding on Arthur's chair?" Mr. Ratburn asked.

"It was Francine; she was saying that I was being mean to D.W. when she was annoying me with her Crazy Bus song yesterday; I tried to reason with her; but, she blatantly refused; but, do Francine and Muffy care? NOPE!" Arthur ranted on.

"I know what that's like; my own sister used to annoy me with her music when we were kids; she always used to complain to our parents that I was "insulting" her music and that got me grounded ," Mr. Ratburn explained.

"Wow; you and I have more in common than I thought," Arthur commented.

Francine snorted.

"Oh, please! Do you believe what Arthur says? I mean; he's so mean to D.W. and she's just a little girl," Francine stated.

Buster looked over at Francine.

"Francine; if Arthur asked D.W. to listen to her music through headphones, and she refused; how is that being mean? He was just asking for a favor; D.W.'s just a brat," Buster said.

"Arthur could have tried to ignore it," Francine retorted.

"I have tried to ignore it; but, it was so loud that I couldn't hear what I was watching on TV and it was a new Bionic Bunny episode; how uncool of D.W. to play the music so loud that it was blasting in my ears; I thought I would need to go to the doctor and have my ears checked," Arthur explained.

"And now D.W. has her music taken away for two weeks and it's all because of you Arthur Timothy Read!" Francine growled.

Arthur snorted.

"Only my parents may address me by my full name; and they only do that when I'm in big trouble; you my friend have no right to address me like that," Arthur retorted.

Francine growled and balled up her fists.

The rest of the day at school was tough; Arthur was glad to get home to some peace and quiet. He set his backpack down by the door and went into the livingroom.

"How was school today, Arthur?" David asked.

"Stressful; Francine was pestering me about me supposedly being mean to D.W. about Crazy Bus; but, I explained to her that I was annoyed by it," Arthur explained.

"Oh?" David asked.

"Buster spoke up on my behalf when Francine and Muffy were bugging me; and plus, Francine placed an open chocolate pudding cup on my chair and I looked like I had a poop stain on my pants," Arthur explained.

David sighed.

"I'll talk to her parents and Muffy's parents about it; then we can make them apologize for their behavior," David said.

Arthur smiled.

After a while, both Crosswire and Frensky families were at Arthur's house; they were all having a meeting in the livingroom.

"This is so not fair; Arthur was just plain mean," Muffy complained.

"Yeah; he was so happy that D.W. had her Crazy Bus CD taken away for two weeks," Francine added.

"Francine; you pushed it too far with the pudding stunt on Arthur's chair; and for that, you're grounded for a week; and the sleep over you were supposed to go to at Muffy's this weekend; forget about it," Oliver scolded.

Francine pleaded with her mom.

"I'm afraid your dad is right Franky; what you and Muffy did to Arthur at school today wasn't right," Laverne said.

Francine lowered her head and folded her hands in her lap.

"I'm sorry about Francine's behavior; what she did was unacceptable," Oliver told Arthur.

"It's not your fault, Mr. Frensky," Arthur responded.

Soon enough, both families made Francine and Muffy apologize to Arthur for their stunts; the girls did reluctantly comply before leaving to their separate homes. Arthur felt proud for talking out the problem with a grown up.

Two weeks have gone by and things were seemingly back to normal; however, Arthur managed to forgive Francine and Muffy for their stunts; and D.W. learned to listen to her Crazy Bus through headphones and apologized for her behavior. Arthur was glad that everything was back to normal.


End file.
